Dan Boyle holds court for his final time as a Shark — and a little speculation on my part about what may come next for him

SAN JOSE – After being one of the go-to guys in the Sharks locker room for six years, you knew Dan Boyle wasn’t going to just quietly tiptoe off the stage.

In a conference call this morning graciously set up by the team itself, Boyle talked about how devastating it was to hear the words — even if he half-expected them – that he would not be offered a contract extension to stay in San Jose. He talked about his six seasons with the Sharks, where he became the top scoring defenseman in franchise history. He talked about what could generously be called limited negotiations with the team.

But despite multiple efforts by those of us on the other end of the phone, he would not spell out what he sees as the problem(s) that have kept the Sharks from reaching their ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup.

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“I’ve definitely shared my thoughts with Doug. We have our year-end meetings every year and this year’s was probably the most honest and intense,” Boyle said. “I’m pretty honest with you guys, but with respect to my teammates and the organization, I won’t share my thoughts with you. I don’t think it’s fair to do that.”

That quote and more appears in the print edition story filed earlier and available online here . Go read it for the basics and come back for the supplemental material. Thanks. I’ll wait.

****Boyle was asked which of the six seasons he played here was the one where he really thought the team had its best chance to goall the way.

After some consideration, he went with the two most recent.

“The first year I thought we were a little top heavy, but the last two years, more of a balanced, well-rounded team,” Boyle said.

When it was pointed out that two other teams reached the conference finals in 2010 and 2011, he hedged.

“Guess last two years are fresher,” Boyle said. “Maybe that’s unfair. Good point.”

****Does Boyle have the sense that a lot of roster change is in store for the Sharks this summer?

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“There could be,” he said. “Obviously this was a devastating loss, the hardest for everybody – for guys that have played for 15 years like myself or guys that have only been in the league for two years. I don’t know if they’re going to have a tougher loss than what we just suffered and went through.

“Obviously they’re going to identify who they’re going to want to move forward with and there could be more changes ahead,” Boyle continued. “I’m in the same position as you guys at this point, wait and see what the coaches and management are going to do moving forward.”

****Boyle said he pressed Wilson for an answer now rather than wait another month or so to find out if he fit in the team’s plans.

“I wanted to know. I had met with Doug a couple times already. I wanted to know now. I didn’t want it to linger any longer than it did,” the defenseman said. “I wanted to know one way or other what the future had in store.”

****So what next for Boyle.

He talked about waiting until July 1 for teams to come calling, but in reality, things could happen before then. I bounced a few ideas off Boyle’s agent, George Bazos, and here’s what the other options could be.

*If one team were seriously interested in Boyle and the feeling was mutual, the Sharks could trade his rights to that team for something, even if only a low draft pick. That way that team could sign Boyle to a deal before he hits the open market. Bazos didn’t dismiss the possibility.

*Boyle and his agent could also petition the Sharks to let them talk with other teams before July 1. Not likely to happen the agent said.

Bazos anticipated a lot of interest in Boyle and, with a shortage of right-shooting defenseman with his credentials, I think that’s accurate. He may not fit in the Sharks’ plans, but even at 38 next fall, Boyle should find plenty of suitors.

You want a couple front-runners, at least from my perspective? And, mind you, this is strictly guesswork on my part. No research, no phone calls. Still . . .

*New York Rangers: When Marty St. Louis arrived there at the trade deadline, it wasn’t hard to picture Boyle joining his ex-Lightning buddies St. Louis and Brad Richards. He and St. Louis have remained close, and, in fact, share a lot of the same personality traits in addition to – or maybe because of – their similar physical stature.

Boyle said he heard from a lot of players around the league hoping he would join them next season and my money says St. Louis is one of those players.

Now if the Rangers end up winning the cup, maybe their need for Boyle diminishes. But right now, why not?

*Tampa Bay Lightning. Boyle’s wife, Amber, grew up on the west coast of Florida and her family is still there. She and Dan still own property there, and Boyle’s parents are among the snowbirds who come down every winter.

Yes, Boyle was furious with the Lightning back in 2008 when they threatened to place him on waivers if he didn’t agree to scratch out the no-trade clause in the long-term deal he had signed a year earlier. But that disastrous regime of Oren Koules is long gone by now and when he left, so did Boyle’s ill will toward that franchise.

*Ottawa Senators. Another obvious family connection as that’s where Boyle grew up. But maybe a little less likely if he is serious about winning another Stanley Cup before calling it quits.

The Rangers and Lightning, after all, did make the playoffs this season. The Senators fell five points shy of the post-season.

Other factors, of course, will come into play. Boyle wanted only two years from the Sharks, but might ask for more from other teams. And there is always money.

Should be interesting.

Boyle may not be a good fit for the Sharks at this point, but he can expect a lot of other teams to come calling.

****Finally, a little secret: Those of us who cover sports teams are more focused on how good a player is for an insightful post-game quote than how he handled the puck on a breakout play in the first period. The nature of what we do, sadly, in trying to explain to readers what went right or wrong.

Not to slight Boyle’s contributions on the ice — which were many — but his loss from the room is a huge setback for us. Trust me, he is missed already.

David Pollak

David Pollak has been following the NHL forever and at the Mercury News as an editor or reporter since 1987. For almost a decade he wrote about the Sharks as the paper's Fan in the Stands before joining the sports department in 2001. He became the Sharks beat writer before the 2007-08 season and began this blog at that time. You can also follow him on Twitter at @PollakOnSharks.

Let’s go to our twitter board to see what random internet people with barely a high school education think…

Wonderogre

You have a point. From now on, we only acquire players who have already won the Cup, because clearly, if they haven’t won it yet, they ain’t gonna.

Wonderogre

What rumors?

Wonderogre

Yeah, the difference between Niemi and Miller is not great enough to warrant paying him what he’s likely to garner on the UFA market. Miller is better than Niemi, of course, but outside of like a handful of truly elite goalies, everyone else fluctuates so much season to season that replacing a cheap Niemi with an expensive Miller is unlikely to produce an even remotely proportional difference in results.

Buddy Elf

was linked somewhere else in this thread… can’t find it right now (DP needs to do a new post). hondr’s new puppet name took over the blog for a while. 1/4 of the posts oin this thread are from him.

renoshark

Kurz was speculating about Miller as a possibility.

Buddy Elf

You’re right… it’s hondr… so pathetic he has to use so many different names… makes it obvious that he knows he is wrong so he has to bolster support with fake names.

He also used a few other names (“Dwilly must go” was one of them)

MLBSF

Sure why not. He sounds like a sports fan. Doesn’t even really follow hockey, yet is still aware of the Sharks dreadful postseason reputation. What does that tell you?

MLBSF

Oh because these people are critical of the Sharks, they must barely have a high school education? Typecast much?

MLBSF

True. If they come to the Sharks, there’s a 100 percent chance they won’t. At least up until now.

the viceroy’s gin

It’s good that you’ve learned and are now able to recite the free agency rules, son, after blathering incoherently about them and getting slapped down for it. I enjoyed teaching you too, especially the slapdown part. It’s always fun slapping down you internet blowhards.

Oh and go ask Minny if they want to deal Coyle for the guy they dumped straight up. Make sure you get videotape… I want to see their reaction when you ask.

Do you follow hockey?

renoshark

Has nothing to do with “rules”, noob. It has everything to do with your inability to form a coherent sentence and your constant deflection and backpedaling away from absurd statements like “assets might be acquired for Heatley” or your “sign and trade” gibberish. Please, no one wants your boy Heater. Minny is just happy to dump his contract and walk a away. He’s walking into the UFA sunset and Minny ain’t getting no assets. Still up for that wager, noob? Sometimes I think the fumes in your meth lab have killed off one too many “hondr” brain cells. You’re probably just jealous that Babs and that little girly-man Holland didn’t land Burns. That might explain all your frustration, tantrums and meltdown you’ve shown here, noob.

Tom (fm Quinzee)

16? Duh! 28 possible games.

Buddy Elf

You’re getting old(er).

Tom (fm Quinzee)

Wow – I remember that rink. And one at Valco, maybe?

“Save his current wife.” Unintentional pun?

Buddy Elf

hondr… why the need for so many puppet names?

Are you really that pathetic?

Makes sense why you can’t even follow a conversation, there’s no chance you can follow hockey.

Tom (fm Quinzee)

Good morning, and you’ve got the wrong tense, or whatever. I’ve arrived at old. Boy, talk about a senior moment?

Tom (fm Quinzee)

Okay. I was going by the accepted rumor…

Tom (fm Quinzee)

Two points, or more, or questions/points…one, does the NHL have revenue sharing? But as soon as I ask that, I’m realizing that NBC has the rights to all the playoffs in the States. Nevermind. I am aware that revenue sharing applies to media, not ticket sales.

Two, just to clarify, one point I was making above was about DW not going after “big name free agents.” Whether or not Hjalmarsson is a “big name” is open to debate, but the $$$ involved was serious, and I think DW signed Hjalmarsson to an offer sheet based on wanting him, not as a means to bidding up the Hawks contracts.

the viceroy’s gin

I see our paranoid NSA surveillance guy is back for more. Watch out for the black helicopters, son.

Do you follow hockey?

the viceroy’s gin

Again, it’s good that you can now quote chapter and verse from the NHL free agency rulebook.

And I must say, it was fun slapping that knowledge into your skull, too.

Tom (fm Quinzee)

I would, also, Buddy. But I’d also say that Blake shaded into that category of JR & others, i.e., a guy at the end of his career. Blake had more gas in the tank than JR, for sure. But there was an element of him being at the end of a great career that made him available.

Buddy Elf

Definitely.

Buddy Elf

More deflection… such a sad little hondr.

I’ll continue to ask? Why are you so lame that you need to use puppet accounts?

Tom (fm Quinzee)

I pretty strongly disagree with your assertions in your 2nd paragraph, especially about Nabby. I am not the only person that has called Nabby “Mr. Softee.” There were times in the PO’s that he let in devastating goals that were very stoppable. I am aware that he also made incredible saves, and it can be debated that he’s the best goalie in franchise history. I think he deserved the tribute he got here when the Isles came in. But let’s not get selective memory on him.

As for JT & PM, we’ll see. I’ve been thinking about those two, since that’s where the focus goes, and I think the question becomes “what’s the return”? I’ve said I think Marleau has more market value. They both have big upsides. JT makes his linemates better. PM scores big goals. He’s one of the few guys who have a long career and their goals per game average goes UP in the POs. So, to not waffle and be as clear as I can, I don’t think either of them are untouchable. To me, Vlasic is untouchable. That’s it on this roster. Hertl is a guy that I’d keep, but again, if the price is right…I don’t study the League enough to say what the price is, or should be.

the viceroy’s gin

…paranoia strikes deep.

Sorta like Larry Robinson’s foot strikes deep on incompetent defensemen he wants off his backline .

Buddy Elf

No paranoia… I know I’m right.

You can continue to deny and deflect… we both know I am right.

LTNC

What the GM’s will probably do is collude to suppress salaries. That is SOP in the airy unoccupied space between their ears.

the viceroy’s gin

…fantasy and paranoia often go together.

Sorta like the hairdo and cap killing contracts.

ZEKE

I think the cap is based on all revenues, not just the shared revenues. That would include ticket sales. I don’t know if the league takes a portion of ticket sales and redistributes them.

Wonderogre

Yeah but Kurz is sort of dumb.

Wonderogre

It was like $3.5m, which isn’t really serious $$$, whether he extended it in good faith or to bind the Hawks.

Wonderogre

It’s not because they’re critical, it’s because they’re saying dumb things. Why did that make you so defensive?

GP_hockeyhappens

He won’t answer that question. He’s so defensive because he says dumb things. But, I am being redundant again… MLBSF saying dumb things…..

Tom (fm Quinzee)

It was $14million over 4 years. Not all-star money, but *if* it was a ruse, I think DW would have been able to “eat it” without gagging. I do not think it was akin to a gambit in a chess match. I think he wanted the guy (his name’s a pain to type).

GP_hockeyhappens

I don’t remember if the Valco rink is still there….I play all my hockey at Sharks Ice SJ nowadays.

Tom (fm Quinzee)

Wait a minute, aren’t conspiracy theories my domain?

You think they’ll take a page out of the baseball GM’s book? Wikipedia has a long entry for “baseball collusion.” Kirk Gibson and Pudge Fisk figured prominently in that. The one good thing that happened then was that Pudge did not become a Yankee, as $teinbrenner withdrew his offer.

NB Finfan

OMG and isnt Donald Fehr the rep for NHLPA. Someone needs to remove LTNC’s entry before it breathes life.

BTW LTNC, the Sharks saved your handle for another year.

ZEKE

If the Sharks owner had asked me for a blueprint for moving forward, here’s what I would have supplied:

Baseline Observations

*There is no ‘low risk’ path to a Cup.
*Take the smart risks and have back-up plans.
*Demand exceeds supply, by a lot, in the free agent market for d-men and forwards.
*This is a good hockey team
*I’ll risk some points in the regular season in order to be in better shape for the playoffs. I only care about making the playoffs, not the seeding.
*The league sent the Sharks a message. If you want your guys to be protected, you take care of it because we won’t. Message received.

Coaches.
I’d retain everyone but Woodcroft. It is better for him and the Sharks if he moves on. He and TMc have been together too long, some fresher eyes will help.

Forwards. Add 1 piece. If we can get a very good piece at a rational price, I have no issue with it. But I doubt that is in the cards. I’d attempt to add a mid tier forward, if I could find a Ryane Clowe (circa 2009 version), that’d be what I’d aim for. More likely, it’d be a Vrbata/Legwand level kind of player. I would keep Burns at forward. Letting Havlat go, most probably via amnesty buyout, is a must. Re-sign RFA’s Sheppard and Wingels. If I can move Kennedy, I do that, take the cap space and fill it with a player who fits the team better.

Let go of UFA Mike Brown and get a genuine ‘beat you to a pulp’ fighter. Sharks need an enforcer that other teams fear. Ogie Oglethorpe. OK, maybe he’s too old and too fictional. Frazer McLaren? Whoever it is, he needs to beat the heck out of the 4 guys who took especially cheap shots at our players: Chimera,
Cleary, Stoll and lapierre. Our enforcer needs to beat down each one of those 4 guys. Twice. Dustin Brown too, for good measure. The Sharks need to become a team that takes names. Word will get around.

Defense. Trickier because I don’t have a sense of what we have in Worcester, and a lot depends on what may be available from the likes of Tennyson, Mueller and Doherty. Assuming none are ready to be an every game starter, I retain all our current d group but Boyle. I make Boyle an offer for 2 years at $2.2mil per year. Doubt he accepts since it is very low. If he stays, fine. I expect he moves on. I then keep Stuart and even Hannan, the latter as a fill-in, not an every game starter. I re-sign RFA Demers. Obviously, we need at least 1 more d-man from somewhere. FA is it, though I wouldn’t aim high since I expect the prices will be nuts. If Mueller and/or Tennyson are likely to be NHL ready come next season,
a FA d-man may not be needed at all. If Mueller and Tennyson can be relied on, that would cost less than a FA. The added cap space can then be applied to getting a higher end forward.

Goalie. Niemi gets traded, even though it won’t get us much in return. A middle round draft pick perhaps. But it does open up some cap. Stalock, a UFA on July 1, gets re-signed and is the starter. If Sateri or Grosenick is ready to join the big club, one of them gets promoted. If not, back to FA and get a 1-2 year veteran rental. I recognize the risk here and keep close tabs on vets who might be available if plan A and B don’t work.

Cap space. If I seem less ambitious about signings this offseason, remember the roster isn’t set until the trade deadline next February (March?). I want this team to have the cap space to acquire significant talent before the trade deadline. As we get close to that deadline, we’ll know where we are weakest, which guys are injured, etc. Make the move for the player we need when we are close to the trade deadline. Turn a weakness into a strength. For an example of how it’s done, look at LAK. They were a low scoring team and added Gaborik, who becomes one of the top goal scorers for the playoffs. Weakness becomes strength.

The key element is that these 4 lines are all nominally equal. No first second third or fourth line. I want very balanced lines and have them roll relatively evenly. On any given night, whoever is playing the best is the top line and they get a little extra ice time. For the first 50 or so games, I’d aim for all 12 guys to average between 13 and 17 minutes of ice time per game. After game 50 or so, I’d begin to concentrate the better talent into upper lines and allow those lines to have added ice time, while trying to keep ice time for the top end around 18min/game. I want comparatively fresh players for game 83. I’d also give older guys like Thornton and Marleau games off during the season. I want them playing about 78 games instead of 82. Rest them smartly. For example, Sharks were 6-2-1 on the front end of back to backs. 6-3 on the back end of a back to back. The next game after completing the back to backs? Only 3-4-1. In those 8 games, Thornton, Pavs and Marleau were a combined -5. Those are the games I rest them and put in fresher legs.

I’d expect, even if everyone is healthy, to rotate Burish in for maybe half the games. I’d use the enforcer especially vs StL (fight lapierre) ANA and LAK (fight Stoll, DBrown). Also vs Wash (fight Chimera) and DET (fight Cleary). Throw a cheap shot at a Shark in one game, count on being beaten up twice in the next game. He doesn’t need to play often, but when he’s got a job to do, he goes.

On defense, I start with these pairings:
Vlasic/Braun (L/R)
Stuart/Demers (L/R)
Irwin/FA (L/?)

Rotation group: Tennyson (R), Mueller (L), Hannan (L)

I want Vlasic and Braun to log big minutes, they are the perfect age for it and they are our best line. I would do my best to rotate in the guys currently in Worcester early in the year as long as they are close to ready. I want the younger guys getting playing some in the NHL, give them the chance to see how they handle it and use it to
help them learn/develop. If I can get 5+ games each from Tennyson and Mueller in the Sharks first 20 games, that helps everyone. If one of the young guys can deliver more, they play more. If they can hold down a starting role, they get it. I’d rather see the young guys develop and take the risk of losing some games as they do than see Stuart and/or Hannan trying to play close to 80 games.

Trade. Trade Niemi and Kennedy. Get what you can and take the $6mil in cap space. Get an enforcer, by trade or by FA. Beyond that, only make trades where the quality of the player coming here exceeds the quality of the player leaving. I’m not much interested in deals where we get more stuff, but the other team gets the best individual talent. I am OK trading 2014 picks for more/higher round 2015 picks.

As this team approaches the trade deadline, it should be apparent what our needs are in order to be a strong playoff contender. If we’re having trouble scoring, we look for a Marian Gaborik or Marty St Louis sort. If we are having trouble on the blue line, we look for a Robidas sort. Maybe even an Ehrhoff. If goalie is the issue, we look for a Ryan Miller sort. Get a ‘move the needle player’ in our area of greatest weakness AFTER we know what that is. In order to do that, cap space needs to be there.

Free agency. The shopping list is modest since I want cap space to make in-season moves. Get a d-man, second pair worthy would be nice, but 3rd pair will do in order to keep the price modest. Moving both Kennedy and Niemi would make it easier to sign a top 4 d-man. If mgmt is wary of the goalies (nominally Stalock and Sateri/Grosenick), bring in a solid vet at a modest cost. There are plenty available, especially as younger guys like Bishop, Gibson and Scrivens are soaking up starting roles. At forward, add a solid top 6-ish talent, preferably a very physical player. I’d be fine adding some lower end sorts who have some specific skills (Manny Malhotra, Daniel Winnik sorts).

Draft. I can’t comment on players or positions, just get the best guy out there. But … if there is no one that mgmt really likes, trade this year’s pick for a pick next year. Having extra picks for next year’s draft, especially if they are in earlier rounds, can help close trades near the trade deadline.

Overall – the plan is all about game 83. Less ice time for our top forwards so they will be fresher. More ice time for younger players, starting early in the year and especially on defense, so we can see if they have a role they can play over the season and perhaps into the postseason. Get an enforcer that other teams need to fear and payback the guys who deserve it from this past season. Make a change in goal to Stalock, and another change if he isn’t panning out. Stockpile 2015 draft picks for trade potential. Limit the offseason acquisitions in order to keep cap space open to allow a late season trade for a ‘move the needle’ player in our area of greatest weakness.

Tom (fm Quinzee)

Okay, off the top of my balding head, starting at the bottom, the plan needs to be “all about game 97.” That the WCFs. Maybe that’s semantics, so leave it at that.

I agree with some of what your logic is, i.e., leave some cap space for deadline deals. That requires looking at who will be in the last year of a contract in 14-15 (a la Niemi). I’m not going to do that right now, maybe later in the summer.

I’m glad you did not include Boyle in your line-up, even though you want to make him an offer. I’m pretty sure you’re dreaming on that one. DW seems to have been set on Dan coming back for one, if that. It’s possible he “made him an offer he had to refuse,” to paraphrase.

DW is the person saying Burns is a d-man. You need to take him off that line w/ Raffi & Shep (I like that as a line, btw). I’m far from thrilled by Burns moving back to D. But DW’s the boss. And parenthetically (Woodcroft is toast?). There was the talk somewhere about an increased role for Larry Robinson, while the speculation had been retirement for LR. I find that very, very interesting.

I’d like to see fighting banned, period. That ain’t happening, so I very reluctantly agree with you about the goon. I’m really, really tired of the staged fights, btw. You know, the ones where two guys say “wanna go?” THAT needs to go. But fights that occur as a result of the physicality of a given game? That’s where we need more authority, to put it politely. Raffi is a guy who gives us some of that edge, but Raffi is on permanent parole…that leash is short.

Mueller is being talked about as being in the mix next year. Who knows?

I’m for signing Miller…unless that price is a killer. If I’m DW, I do what I did w/ Hjalmarsson, i.e., make him a serious offer, one that will hurt some other team to top. That way, if I get him, fine. If not, then someone else gets hurt. Let someone else pay Zito money to him.

Tom (fm Quinzee)

Ouch.

ZEKE

Tom — this is my blueprint, in effect, beginning from the day the season ended for us. Obviously, DW already has diverged from it. Events will no doubt cause further divergence.

Topcatone

Thanks for the in depth assessment….I agree with a lot you say, except Hannan HAS to go…Stuart, perhaps should as well since he is just too slow and cost us game 7. I actually like Burns getting some d-man time, while Robinson can work with him (hopefully already started over the summer), which would make him a better forward, and available as d-man backup. Trade Marleau, as much as I like him, for a top d-man. For cup run, defense is key…we have enough scorers. RIght at the start of the season, play our young d-men needing experience so Robinson can coach him. Also, hire the best PP coach you can get.

1. lapierre hit Boyle into the boards, causing him to leave the ice on a stretcher, then miss several games and have symptoms for several months, causing a fundamental change in his season and perhaps his career

lapierre gets 5 minute major, tossed from game and 5 game suspension

2. Chimera punches Vlasic in the face

no penalty, no fine, no suspension

3. Cleary elbows Hannan in the head

no penalty, no fine, no suspension

4. Dustin Brown knees Tomas Hertl, who misses 40+ games and is clearly a lesser player on his return

no penalty, no fine, no suspension

5. Jarret Stoll hits Vlasic in the head twice, causing Vlasic to miss most of playoff game 5, leaving us with only 5 d-men. And he misses game 6 and 7. After not missing any games due to injury all year

2 minute roughing, no fine, no suspension

I’d like the NHL to do their best to take this sort of thing out of the game. But its clear, the message is you handle you business yourself, we’re not going to get involved unless its insanely over the top. And even then, it won’t be all that much.

ZEKE

that is a great article, thanks for sharing it

NB Finfan

I dont think you can afford to have a goon sit on the bench for 55-57 minutes a night in today’s NHL. You need to have 4 lines you can roll and be dependable.

I think LA has set the blueprint. You look at guys like Clifford, King, Green, and Mitchell. They are all effective players but they can make your night miserable if you take liberties. I think there is a reason why there was no retribution to Brown.

ZEKE

To be fair, I see Hannan as the guy who fills in when someone needs a night off or if someone is hurt — you usually need 8 d-men and he’d be 8. He was easily worth his low end contract last year. In that role, I have no issue bringing him back.

Tom (fm Quinzee)

That reason being ? I agree w/ you about the goon role is now a guy who plays, which btw, used to be the case. To cite one from my younger days, John Ferguson of the Canadiens. A good, but also a 20-goal scorer in the “O-6″ days.